Reformer becomes president Cardiac surgeon Peseshkian wins run-off election in Iran
The moderate heart surgeon Peseschkian defeats the hardliner Jalili. It remains to be seen how many of his promises he will be able to implement.
06.07.2024, 07:21
06.07.2024, 10:56
dpa
The reformer Massud Peseschkian has won the run-off election for president in Iran. According to the electoral authority, the moderate heart surgeon and long-time member of parliament won 16.3 million votes.
His rival, the hardliner and former nuclear negotiator Said Jalili, was defeated by 13.5 million votes. As the winner of the run-off election, Peseshkian is expected to succeed President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May.
While Peseshkian's lead in the vote count was still growing, his supporters took to the streets in Tehran and other cities to celebrate the looming result. Peseshkian won over voters with promises to move closer to the West and relax enforcement of the strict headscarf law.
No radical changes expected
However, he did not promise radical changes in the Shiite theocracy. And even his moderate goals are likely to be challenged by an Iranian government that continues to be dominated by hardliners, the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Western concerns that Tehran is further increasing its stockpile of almost weapons-grade enriched uranium.
In the first round of voting on June 28, none of the candidates received more than 50 percent of the vote. In addition, the lowest turnout in an Iranian election to date was recorded. As has always been the case since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, women or candidates calling for radical change did not even make it onto the ballot paper.
Allegedly high voter turnout
As usual, no internationally recognized election observers were admitted. Government representatives, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, predicted a higher turnout at the start of voting yesterday, Friday. State television broadcast images of people queuing outside polling stations. Videos circulating online, however, also showed some empty polling stations.
Polling stations closed after midnight after the voting window had been extended earlier. Khamenei has stated that the low turnout in the first round on June 28 was not a vote on the country's Shiite theocracy.
However, many people in Iran are disillusioned by the consequences of years of sanctions, the security forces' brutal crackdown on mass demonstrations and tensions with the West over Iran's nuclear program.
